In praise of man's oldest garden ornamental

The Washington PostSince Colonial times, gardens in North America have featured plantings of boxwood, to create a formal, elegant appearance.According to the American Boxwood Society, boxwood, botanically referred to as buxus, is proclaimed to be “Man’s oldest garden ornamental.”

About 4000 B.C., the Egyptians used boxwood in their gardens frequently clipped into formal hedges. In Homer’s “Illiad,” boxwood was used as yokes for the stallions driven by the King of Troy.

Pliny, the best known early Roman gardener, had boxwood in his garden and also used it as a material to create musical instruments. Countless other references to boxwood illustrate that this plant has been around for a long, long time.

Today, boxwood is used mostly as an ornamental shrub. The great gardens of the world have used it for their intricate parterres, as a hedge, in foundation plantings or as a screen. Since Colonial times, gardens in North America have featured plantings of boxwood, to create a formal, elegant appearance.

Their very dense leaves, slow rate of growth and compact nature assure that boxwood will never get out of control. These shrubs frequently are planted in a group as an edging, but they also can stand alone as a single specimen.WHEN TO PLANT

The best times to plant boxwood are in spring or fall. Although they prefer partial shade they will tolerate sunlight. Just remember that the more sun it gets, the more water the plant will need. Prepare the site for your planting by digging a hole as deep as the container it came in and twice as wide.

Staten Island Advance/Irving SilversteinFrequently planted in a group, boxwood also can stand alone as a single specimen.Boxwood require a well-drained soil to prevent their shallow roots from rotting and appreciate the addition of peat moss or organic matter, such as compost.

Firm the soil after backfilling to eliminate any air pockets and water your shrubs well. Since their roots are very shallow it’s advisable to place a 3-inch layer of mulch at the base to protect them from the heat of summer. This not only will keep the soil cool, but reduce weeds.

Water weekly for the first year and fertilize at the end of February or the beginning of March. Adding a time-release fertilizer will ensure even growth through the growing season. Trim boxwood once a year at the beginning of winter to improve air circulation. Be sure to brush any heavy snow off the plants so their shape isn’t distorted.

When pruning, use a string tied to a pole at each end as a guide. The string should be shorter than the shrub; as you cut across the top, it will help keep the top even. Cut the front and the sides, making sure the bottom of the shrub is slightly wider than the top so sunlight can reach it.

VARIETIES

The common Buxus sempervirens with its lustrous dark green foliage, may grow 15 to 20 feet tall and as wide. It’s suitable for topiaries, formal gardens or hedges.

“Graham Blandy” has a narrow, upright habit, growing up to 10 feet high, but only 1 foot wide. “Suffruticosa,” which has been used in formal gardens for centuries, is an excellent choice for a hedge, growing 4 to 5 feet, or as a single specimen.

Buxus microphylla is a dwarf variety with a dense, rounded habit. The hardiest of these is “Winter Gem,” which is a good small hedge with soft green, spring foliage and darker green, mature foliage.

Since it is smaller, dwarf boxwood is suitable for a “Knot Garden,” which is best viewed from above. Parterres, which are larger in scale, often are confused with knot gardens. Parterres consist of low hedges of boxwood with compact and colorful bedding plants or evergreen shrubs trimmed into neat pyramids or globes between them.

Boxwood can be propagated by hardwood cuttings in late summer. Take 6-inch cuttings that are at the junction of this year’s and last year’s growth and remove all lower leaves. Treat with a rooting hormone after removing a sliver of bark near the base, and place in a cold frame. Keep them well watered and your cuttings will be rooted by the following spring.

If you have a small garden, or if you plan on being at your location for a long time, boxwood is an ideal choice. You may not appreciate the beauty of this shrub right away, but it eventually will become an elegant addition to your landscaping.